Sell downloadable products

You can sell digital products in Shoporama, such as e-books, audio files, video, software, recipes or graphic packages. The customer gets a download link in the order confirmation and can also find it again in their order history. It's one of the fastest ways to get started with passive selling because there is no physical shipping, inventory or freight costs.

How to create a downloadable product

1. Create a new product as usual under Products.
2. Find the Files section on the product edit page.
3. Click Upload and select the file you want the customer to be able to download.
4. Mark the file as a downloadable product.
5. Click Save.

You can attach multiple files per product. Each file becomes available to the customer via a link after purchase.

What does the customer see after purchase?

When the order is completed and paid:

• The customer receives the order confirmation by email with a download link to each file of the purchased products.
• The link can also be found again in the customer's order history under "My account".
• Clicking on the link downloads the file directly into the browser. The file is opened or saved depending on the customer's device.

The link has the form /download-pdf?file=<filename>&p=<product-id> and consists of two parts: the file name and the product ID. It is a stable public URL.

Shipping on digital products

For digital-only products, you can set up a free shipping option (e.g. Digital delivery for $0) so that the customer doesn't pay shipping for something that is just downloaded online. You can also choose to only show this shipping option when the cart only contains digital products.

Supported file formats

• PDF, e.g. e-books, manuals, recipes or documents.
• ZIP, e.g. software, graphic packages or collections of files.
• MP3 and MP4, such as music, podcast episodes or videos.
• Other formats such as EPUB, PSD, AI or image files. Virtually all file types can be uploaded.

Note that the file is delivered to the browser with PDF as the default file type. For PDF and similar documents, the browser opens the file directly. For other formats, such as ZIP and MP3, the browser will typically save the file or you can right-click and select "Save as".

Frequently asked questions

Is the download link time-limited or signed with a token?

No, it is not. The link is a stable, public URL with no token, signature or expiration time. It consists of the file name and product ID. This means that the customer can safely download the file again later, but also that the link is effectively public if it is shared further. Take this into account if you're selling something you don't want to spread freely.

Can I limit how many times the file can be downloaded?

No, you can't. There is no counter, no IP blocking and no user binding on the link. If you need strict access control per purchase, you must either deliver the file via an external service or watermark the file per order so that a shared link can be traced back to the sender.

How big can the file be?

There is no fixed upper limit in admin, but large files (e.g. video over 1 GB) can take a long time to download, especially on mobile. Compress PDFs and pack related files in a ZIP so that the customer only has to download one thing.

Can I replace the file without creating a new product?

Yes, you can. Delete the old file under Files in the product and upload the new one. The next time a customer downloads, she will get the latest version, even if she goes back in her order history from a previous purchase.

What happens if the customer loses their order confirmation?

Ask the customer to log in to "My account" and open the order under order history. The link is in the same place. You can also find the order in admin under Orders and resend the order confirmation.

How does it look in the accounts?

A downloadable product is booked as a regular item. Remember to set the correct VAT rate and consider whether you sell to EU private (OSS rules), business (B2B) or export, as this affects the VAT handling in your accounting program.

Can I sell both a physical and a digital version of the same product?

Yes, you can. Create two products (e.g. My Book, paperback and My Book, PDF) or use variants where the digital variant has a file attached and the physical one does not. Remember to give the two variants different SKUs.

Where exactly is the download link on the page?

The link is shown in the HTML of the order confirmation, and the same link is on the order page under "My account". The URL points to the /download-pdf path on your online shop with two parameters: file and p.

Does the customer need to be logged in to download the file?

No, they don't. The link is public, so the customer can click directly from their email without logging in. This is convenient for the customer, but also means that whoever has the link can download the file.

How do I stop access to a file if I change my mind?

Delete the file on the product in admin under Files. Then the link will no longer correspond with the file, neither for new nor old customers. Remember that this also removes access for customers who have purchased legally, so send them an updated version instead.

Do you need help? Contact us at support@shoporama.dk.